Five Lessons About How To Treat People

– Author Unknown

1. First Important Lesson - “Know The Cleaning Lady”

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?”

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade.

“Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say “hello.”

I’ve never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. Second Important Lesson - “Pickup In The Rain”

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home.

A special note was attached. It read: “Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.”

3. Third Important Lesson - “Remember Those Who Serve”

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked. “50¢,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

plain vanilla ice cream”Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. “35¢!” she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.

When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies. You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4. Fourth Important Lesson - “The Obstacles In Our Path”

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand - “Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.”

5. Fifth Important Lesson - “Giving When It Counts”

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

Young boy donates blood. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, “Yes, I’ll do it if it will save her.”

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, “Will I start to die right away?”

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The intent of these five lessons is to inspire us to be more considerate when opportunities present themselves. Like many novels and movies, even if a story is not entirely true, it doesn’t diminish the moral of the message. Thank you for your consideration in sharing the uplifting spirit of this thought-provoking collection.

The Life of St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul was born near Dax in the village of Pouy in Gascony, France in the year 1581. Born one of four sons and two sisters and being of very humble means, St. Vincent would watch over the sheep and recite the Psalms during his youth and young adult life. He was an astute child and the neighbors noticed his intelligence, which led them to convincing Vincent’s father that it would best if he received schooling. St. Vincent’s father agreed and so he was sent to school under the direction of the Franciscan Fathers at Acqs. Because St. Vincent did so well, a gentleman selected him as sub preceptor (teacher) to his own children and St. Vincent began earning enough money to continue his own studies under the Franciscans.

In 1596, St. Vincent went to the University of Toulouse and was ordained a priest in the year 1600. Then in 1605, while on a voyage from Marseilles to Narbonne, St. Vincent was captured by African pirates and taken to Tunis as a slave. He was successful in escaping from his captors, and went to Rome, afterwards he returned to France where he was hired by Emmanuel de Gondy, count of Joigny. Monsieur Gondy was the general of the galleys of France. In 1625, St. Vincent de Paul began the Congregation of the Mission, or commonly known as the Lazarists, which stemmed from his priests occupying the Priory of St. Lazarus in 1633.

St. Vincent was known not only for the Congregation of the Mission Priests but for the important Sisters of Charity (also known as the Daughters of Charity) and the Ladies of Charity. St. Vincent fought heroically against the many assaults and blasphemes against the church, and when the heresy of Jansenism arose, he fought heroically against it. At the end of his life, he was very sickly and in the autumn of 1660, he passed away. The French peasant Priest, Monsieur Vincent, was canonized by Pope Clement XII, in 1737 and Pope Leo XIII proclaimed him the Patron Saint of all charitable societies.

Reflections: The life of St. Vincent de Paul teaches us that we see Jesus in every neighbor; some who are affected by poverty, homelessness, neglect, abuse and addiction. As a caring Catholic, let us offer “a hand up” to people in need by respecting their dignity, sharing our hope, and encouraging them to take control of their own life with a positive spirit. May the following teachings from Saint Vincent de Paul guide us in our journey:

· We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love.

· The Church teaches us that mercy belongs to God. Let us implore Him to bestow on us the spirit of mercy and compassion, so that we are filled with it and may never lose it. Only consider how much we ourselves are in need of mercy.

· Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us?

· Free your mind from all that troubles you; God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this (choice) without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires.

· It is our duty to prefer the service of the poor to everything else and to offer such service as quickly as possible. If a needy person requires medicine or other help during prayer time, do whatever has to be done with peace of mind. Offer the deed to God as your prayer…. Charity is certainly greater than any rule. Moreover, all rules must lead to charity.

· We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God.

· Humility and charity are the two master-chords: one, the lowest; the other, the highest; all the others are dependent on them. Therefore it is necessary, above all, to maintain ourselves in these two virtues; for observe well that the preservation of the whole edifice depends on the foundation and the roof.

Making Pancakes

Six year old Brandon decided one Saturday morning to fix his parents pancakes.

He found a big bowl and spoon, pulled a chair to the counter, opened the cupboard and pulled out the heavy flour canister, spilling it on the floor. He scooped some of the flour into the bowl with his hands, mixed in most of a cup of milk and added some sugar, leaving a floury trail on the floor which by now had a few tracks left by his kitten.

Brandon was covered with flour and getting frustrated. He wanted this to be something very good for Mom and Dad, but it was getting very bad. He didn’t know what to do next, whether to put it all into the oven or on the stove and he didn’t know how the stove worked.

Suddenly he saw his kitten licking from the bowl of mix and reached to push her away, knocking the egg carton to the floor. Frantically, he tried to clean up this monumental mess but slipped on the eggs, getting his pajamas white and sticky.

And just then he saw Dad standing at the door.

Big crocodile tears welled up in Brandon’s eyes. All he’d wanted to do was something good, but he’d made a terrible mess. He was sure a scolding was coming, maybe even a spanking. But his father just watched him.

Then, walking through the mess, he picked up his crying son, hugged him and loved him, getting his own pajamas white and sticky in the process.

That’s how God deals with us.

We try to do something good in life, but it turns into a mess. Our marriage gets all sticky or we insult a friend, or we can’t stand our job, or our health goes sour. Sometimes we just stand there in tears because we can’t think of anything else to do.

That’s when God picks us up and loves us and forgives us, even though some of our mess gets all over Him.

But just because we might mess up, we can’t stop trying to ‘make pancakes’ for God or for others. Sooner or later, we’ll get it right, and then they’ll be glad we tried.

~ Author Unknown

Accept God the Holy Trinity

Everyone should know and accept the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

It is through the working of the Trinity that we are saved and have eternal life; this is the Will of God. In the name of his Son, Jesus Christ all are saved, “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by whom we may be saved” (Acts 4:12).

God the Father teaches that there is only one true way for salvation and that is through Jesus Christ. Our Father made this plan before the foundation of the world, “I am the Way, the truth, and the life” (Jn. 14:6). God is the Father of all religions and all believers and he gave his Son, Jesus, for the salvation of all peoples of the world.

When we accept Jesus as our only Savior, we get the greatest gift from God, which is his Spirit (Titus 3:6). When the Spirit of God comes upon us we can give Jesus to others. The greatest blessing that one can give to the world is Jesus Christ and His Word.

We can accept the Trinity into our lives through:
Prayer: “For in Him all things in heaven and on earth were crated” (Col. 1:15-20).
Therefore pray to God, the Father to reveal Jesus to everyone.

Proclamation: Jesus asked his disciples to go to the ends of the earth and to proclaim
the Good News. In order to proclaim the Good News to others, we have to read the Bible and be prepared to do this work. We need to pray to be able to witness to Christ. Then in our parishes and institutions, wherever we work, prayer groups and whenever we travel, we can proclaim the Good News to others. Through our talks we can give Jesus to others. Whoever proclaims Jesus, God will reward
them, because they are serving God! (Jn. 12:25-26)

Working Together: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there
among them.” So when two or three work together, that will be more fruitful. For this work, parishes and institutions should educate the people about the relationship of the Trinity and then go out to the villages to spread the Good news about Jesus. We believers should do this sort of service. In St. Luke’s Gospel, chapter 10, we read that Jesus sent 70 of his followers out to preach. Jesus did this
as an example for us.

Surrender: We should surrender ourselves, our thoughts and our lives to Jesus. For total surrender we need victory over Satan, sin and the world. For this we have to carry our crosses. God will give us the victory over criticism, pain, sorrow trials tribulations and death!

To make this victory possible we have to pray to God to give us the anointing of the Holy Spirit with wisdom, with power and revelations. Start as soon as you can, pray to God to help you do His work. You will be blessed with graces both in this life and for eternal life!

St Francis of Assisi

St Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi was called “another Christ”, in the sense that he showed in his life and conduct the very essence of Our Lord’s teaching.

Brief Bio: St. Francis (1182-1226) was a son of a rich merchant, Bernardone, received a good education, and in the beginning followed the ways of the world. He was taken prisoner in the battle between the Assisians and Perugians, and after his release decided to abandon everything for Christ. His father became extremely displeased at his action, and disinherited him.

Francis begged for his food, wore old clothes, and preached peace. He began to attract followers, and in 1209 with the papal blessing he founded the Friars Minor (Franciscans). Then in 1212 with St. Clare of Assisi he founded the foundation of the Order of “Poor Ladies,” now known as the “Poor Clares.”

He also founded the “Third Order of Penance” (the Third Order) which included lay people. He was the first person (recorded) to receive the stigmata (the five wounds of Christ) in 1224. Out of humility Francis never accepted the priesthood but remained a deacon all his life.

Besides being a champion of justice, he also had a great love for animals & for all creation so much that he is the patron saint of animals and the environment.

Francis died at the age of 44 on October 4, 1226 at Portiuncula, Italy. He was canonized by Pope Gregory IX less than two years later.

Following is the meditation for the Feast Saint Francis of Assisi by Blessed Pope John XXIII:
“We all have to fight against the lusts of the flesh. Many people also desire material wealth and dream of money, but Saint Francis teaches every one of us, whatever our social condition may be, to fight against “the lust of the eyes”, which is full of deceit and vanity. The wealth of Christian life does not consist in money and all its cares and demands. To some extent it is necessary for our very existence, but we must not lose our hearts to it. In the presence of his father and of the Bishop, Francis gave up everything, even the clothes he was wearing — such was his love for poverty.

When Providence has enabled a man to possess more than sufficient for his needs, he is inviting him to redistribute his wealth, to help the poor, and to contribute to the great works in aid of human brotherhood. This commandment is valid for all, and particularly for those who have dedicated their lives to God’s service.

Therefore, whoever has more abundant wealth must give more generously, giving also for those who are unable to do so. The precept applies not only to two brothers, two families or two towns, but to the whole world. Sometimes a rich man may feel powerful, and boast of his resources, and shut his eyes and ears to the poverty of others who are condemned to live in want — whereas true brotherly feeling would see to it that the poor had at least what he needed to live. If we wish to find a little spiritual joy on this earth we must follow after Saint Francis, who imitated the example of Christ, who even worked miracles in order to feed the hungry”.

November 2010

Do join us in saying just a one line prayer, every day of the month. Each prayer backed with a special line from the Bible. We KNOW that prayer changes things, do join us in making a positive change in the world we live in!

Day/Date Interceding According to the Mind of Christ – 2nd Anniversary of Intercession Diary
Mon
1/11/2010 Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates
All Saints’ Day – In the early Church, Christians would celebrate the anniversary of a martyr’s death for Christ (known as the saint’s “birth day”) by having an All-Night Vigil and then celebrating the Eucharist over their tomb or the shrine at their place of martyrdom. Today as we remember all the saints, known and unknown; we pray that, through their intercession, the testimony of love offered by them may fortify us Christians in our devotion to God and neighbor, imitating Christ who came to serve and not to be served

Tue
2/11/2010 Wis 3:1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them
All Souls’ Day is also known as the ‘Feast of All Souls’, commemoration of all the departed faithful. Today, let us remember the departed members in our families knowing that one day we will be with them in the glory and majesty of God’s holy presence. Pray for the holy souls in purgatory through the Eucharist/Rosary/Divine Mercy Chaplet,etc. Pray specially for souls who may have no one to pray for them.

Wed
3/11/2010 Acts 1:8a But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you
We lift up the VII National Charismatic Convection of Hindi/Marathi Prayer Groups, from the 5th – 7th Nov at Mira Road, Mumbai; may God overshadow this convention with His Holy Spirit so that all arrangements would be scripted by the Him and the glory of the Lord would fill the place, making those days grace filled and power filled. May each participant come away blessed and filled with His love.

Thu
4/11/2010 Rom 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord
Feast Day of St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop - In 1576, when Milan was visited by the plague, he went about giving directions for accommodating the sick and burying the dead, avoiding no danger and sparing no expense. He visited all the neighboring parishes where the contagion raged, distributing money, providing accommodation for the sick, and punishing those, especially the clergy, who were remiss in discharging their duties. Let us pray for the property cell/civic cells/social activists in our Archdiocese; may God continue to grant them wisdom and discernment to seek His plans to work out every strategy on both fronts - prayer and action. Pray for a spirit of brotherly affection that as a united front we would be able to solve every issue that affects our community through the power of the Gospel

Fri
5/11/2010 Exod 21:14 But if a man willfully attacks another to kill him treacherously, you shall take him from my altar, that he may die
Let us offer to the Lord through the Eucharist the souls of children aborted today and in the past, that God may release them into His Holy dwelling. We also pray for mercy and enlightenment for those supporting abortions and for the entire abortion industry and lobby groups. We pray in a special way for our brethren celebrating Diwali that they may encounter the light of Christ, possibly even in and through us.

Sat
6/11/2010 John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly
We lift up our city and pray that the light of Christ would and reveal the hidden secrets of those contemplating terrorist activities to disrupt the peace of the city. We pray that the Light of Jesus help them to realize the folly of their effort; we also pray for our security agencies.

Sun
7/11/2010 Ps 133:3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life for evermore
Let us through the Eucharist thank God for the unity that we see among our Chief Shepherd Cardinal Oswald Gracias and the Auxiliary Bishops; we pray for them and protection for this unity and that we would continue to receive the commanded blessings of the Lord

Mon
8/11/2010 Mal 4:2 But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings
We lift every Catholic home in our parish; we pray for a spirit of unity and love to prevail among parents and children so that God’s presence in our families would become an oasis for a broken world around us to experience Christ’s healing and compassionate touch

Tue
9/11/2010 2 Cor 6:18 And I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty
We pray for unity among our priests and religious – especially between parish priest and their teams We also pray especially for those priests and religious who are finding it difficult to submit to authority, that they would be obedient to their superiors.

Wed
10/11/2010 Matt 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Feast of St. Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor, an uncompromising defender from heresy - One of the major Gnostic religions, Manicheans fleeing before the Vandals had come to Rome in 439 and secretly organized there; Leo learned of this around 443, and proceeded against them by holding a public debate with their representatives, burning their books, and warning the Roman Christians against them. Through his intercession pray for boldness and a spirit of clarity for those involved in Catholic apologetics, a field of Christian theology which has for its purpose the explanation and defence of the faith. May the Holy Spirit prepare the soil, that their plans may bear much fruit for God’s glory. Today let us pray that all associations in our Archdiocese would put away all differences and work together for the common good of each other in unity and brotherly affection bringing glory to Christ and a visible witness of His Body – the Bride His Church

Thu
11/11/2010 2 Tim 2:22 So shun youthful passions and aim at righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call upon the Lord from a pure heart
Feast of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop. As a soldier, just before a battle with the Gauls at Worms, Martin determined that his faith prohibited him from fighting, saying, “I am a soldier of Christ. I cannot fight”. Through his intercession we pray for all our youth and youth cells in our Archdiocese; may God give them grace to have determination and direction in their lives to make decisions based on the Gospel

Fri
12/11/2010 Psalm 93:1 The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty
Today we begin the Novena to Christ the King as we lift each of the intentions for the day, we suggest you recite One Our Father, One Hail Mary and One Glory Be daily, followed by the Novena Prayer: O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King And Ruler of all nations. We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things. Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth. Guard us we pray Most Faithful One. Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment. Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you. Jesus, You are the King of Mercy. We have deserved Your Just Judgment. Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. We trust in Your Great Mercy. O most awe-inspiring King, We bow before You and pray; May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, come on earth. Amen. Day1 intention: Pray for Pope Benedict the XVI and the cardinal of Bishops specially those who are perfect of the various Congregation that Christ would reign in the office instructed to them and they would make His Lordship manifest through their teaching an pastoral work.
Feast of St Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr - Great were the virtues of the saint. As a boy he shunned the usual games of childhood, prayed much, and lost no opportunity of assisting at the Divine services. Through his intercession, we pray for altar servers and for vocations to the priesthood and religious life in our Archdiocese

Sat
13/11/2010 Pslam 104: 1,2 O LORD my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honour and majesty, wrapped in light as with a garment.
“The Church in Mumbai, light to the nations and the glory of God’s Holy People” – Vision Statement, Archdiocese of Bombay, Synod 2000. Day2 intention: Pray that Jesus would reign in the heart of each of us in the city of Mumbai, so that we would be instruments of ushering in His Kingdom and establishing his reign in our midst, so that the Light of Christ would dispel the darkness around us

Sun
14/11/2010 Ps 139:13 For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother’s womb
Today as we celebrate Children’s Day in our country, we lift up the children in our Archdiocese. Day3 intention: Pray for every child that they would find their hope met in the Saviour. We pray specially for every Catholic/ Christian child in our Archdiocese that God would create a hunger in their hearts for the things of heaven, and a desire to make Jesus the Lord of their lives., helping them grow to be men and women of integrity, growing in the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

Mon
15/11/2010 Pro 8:32 And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways
Day4 intention: Pray for our priests that they may be holy and pure. We specially pray for those who are tormented by temptation and struggling with sin. Pray for the grace that they would experience deliverance form these powers of darkness, bringing them to the marvelous light of Christ and the joy of serving Him and His people with gladness, bringing hope to those caught in the hopelessness of sin

Tue
16/11/2010 Ps 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul
Day5 intention: Pray for those serving in the church as lay ministers, those involved heading various ministries, those in pastoral councils, those in various associations, those serving as cantors, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, etc. We pray that each of them would renew their commitment to Christ by making Him Lord of their lives so that their service to the Body of Christ would be a reflection of His love

Wed
17/11/2010 Rev 2:3 I know you are enduring patently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary
Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Day6 intention: We pray that our youth would make Jesus the Lord of their lives, shunning the passions of this world for a greater passion of loving Christ above all else for the greater glory of God and the good of His people

Thu
18/11/2010 Luke 9:48 And he said to them, Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me
Children all over the world, especially in the poorer countries, are subject to trafficking and sexual perversions, as they are the most vulnerable. Day7 intention: We pray that the Holy Spirit be the consolation of these children and that He convicts the evil doers of their sin

Fri
19/11/2010 Acts 2:44,45 All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
A day of fast. Day8 intention: Pray for families in our Archdiocese that each family would enthrone Jesus as Lord of their homes, allowing Jesus and His Word to permeate every facet of our lives - choice of relationships, jobs, careers, friends, recreation, etc. thereby joining our hearts together as one big family in our Archdiocese so that all may know that we are Christians by our love.

Sat
20/11/2010 Rev 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water
Day9 intention: Pray that the Proclamation Cell in our Archdiocese would function under the Lordship of Jesus and that the Holy Spirit empower and equip them to carry out the work of evangelisation. We pray for each baptised Christian to realise their call to proclamation.

Sun
21/11/2010 Phil 2:9-11 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father
Today as the Universal Church celebrates the feast of Christ the King, may we as individuals enthrone Him in our hearts and homes and give Him the place that is rightly His. Come Lord Jesus and take your place. Worship in silence the Eucharistic Lord.

Mon
22/11/2010 Ps 100:1,2 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come into his presence with singing.
Feast of Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians and Church music. We pray for the cantors, choirs and music ministries in our Church that the Holy Spirit will anoint their voices and instruments, so that in all they do, they will give glory to God and lead others into His presence.

Tue
23/11/2010 John 8:36 Whom the son sets free is free indeed.
We pray for those in bondage (to chemicals, abusive relationships, pornography, television, harmful music, etc.) to experience the freedom of Christ. We pray for the Joyful Noise and Inner Healing Ministries that they may experience the protection and fruitfulness of the Lord.

Wed
24/11/2010 Rev 2:26 He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations
Feast of St. Andrew Dung-Lac and his 116 companions, Vietnam - These 117 saints died under persecutions of Christians that in fact lasted from 1625 to 1886 and cost about 13,000 lives. Through their intercession we pray that the suffering Church in India and the world would have new strength from the Father of Light from whom all good things come and for the conversion of persecutors of the Church

Thu
25/11/2010 Ps 136:1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Thanksgiving Day in many parts of the world. Let us pray for an attitude of gratitude both today and every day of our lives; especially with those we take for granted in our own homes and neighbourhoods.

Fri
26/11/2010 Jn 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives … Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful
A day of fast - lift the Night Vigil (27th Nov) at St. Andrew’s College Chapel, Bandra. We spend the night in thanksgiving for the blessings the Lord has bestowed on us; may God anoint those leading as they prepare to lead His people in praise, worship and intercession

Sat
27/11/2010 Rev 5:13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever
As we stand at the threshold of a new liturgical year, we thank God for the many spiritual graces and blessings He has showered upon us this past year. We pray that He gives us the grace to live in this passing world with our eyes set on the world which will never end.

Sun
28/11/2010 Rev 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus
Advent Sunday - As the Church prepares for the season of Advent, we pray that we would be sensitive to the signs of the time preparing our hearts and homes for Him who is to come, praying “Come Lord Jesus, come into our hearts and into our homes and into our world”

Mon
29/11/2010 Phil 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain
We pray for a disposition of humility during this season of Advent. That we may not be caught up in the glamour and glitz of life, but that we may shed our pride and egos as we prepare our hearts to welcome the Lord who was born in a stable.

Tue
30/11/2010 John 1:41 We have found the Messiah
As we celebrate the Feast of St Andrew the Apostle, we pray for the burden of evangelizing/re-evangelizing our own households. Following the example of Andrew who introduced Peter to Jesus, may we bring the joy of an encounter with the Lord, to our own brothers and sisters, our own parents, children, relatives, our colleagues, neighbours and within our larger family – the world. May the Holy Spirit, the chief agent of evangelization, give us the grace to witness by our lives, that we be true bearers of the light and not counter-witnesses.

Holy Father’s Intentions for the Month (Pray for these intentions daily)
General Intention:That victims of drugs or of other dependence may, thanks to the support of the Christian community, find in the power of our Saving God strength for a radical life-change.
Missionary Intention: That the Churches of Latin America may move ahead with the continent-wide mission proposed by their bishops, making it part of the universal missionary task of the People of God.

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This ‘Intercession Diary’ has the approval and blessings of the Bishops’ Team of the Archdiocese and contains intentions of the Cardinal and Bishops of Mumbai. Vetted by Fr Byron Mendonca, Assistant Parish Priest, Mt Carmel Church, Mumbai, India. All scripture passages are taken from Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition. Please contact Royston@Glorify-God.com for any feedback.

The Lord be with you… (and you say?)

The Lord be with you.

And before we mechanically say in our minds, “And also with you”, I would like you (and me) to pause and reflect on these words we hear so very often.

Do we realize the importance of these words? Or are we become so numbed by the pressures of the day and the noises around us, that instead of having goose-bumps every time we hear these words, we rattle off our response like a well-rehearsed formula.

“The Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28) said the angel to Mary. And the process of the greatest miracle in history began when Mary replied with her ‘FIAT’ (yes). Another recent “miracle” reminded us of the power of ‘God with us’.

Yes, the term “miracle” was used liberally, the world over, by the so-called ‘secular’ media when they reported the rescue of the trapped miners from the Copiapo mines in Chile. Amidst fireworks and flags and banners and buntings and noise and gaiety one could not miss the presence of the clasped hands, the clutched rosaries, the pictures of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the well-worn Bibles, the quick signs of the cross, the bended knees, the T-shirts carrying in bold letters ‘gracias, senor’ (thank you, Lord). All this in full glare of the world-wide media (one channel alone reported over 7 million viewers). All well summed up in the words of one of the 33 miners when they were still trapped, “There are actually 34 of us, because God has never left us down here.”

How wonderfully reassuring to know that God is with us, He never leaves us or forsakes us (Deut 31:6). Even in our deepest, darkest moments he is there (Ps 23:4). In the case of the Chilean miners the outcome was jubilant; in some cases the end-result seems cruel, harsh, unbearable, tragic. The true miracle is in the journey… where He walks with us. In our joys and in our sorrows, He is with us. Emmanuel (Isaiah 7:14, Mt 1:23).

As we, this month, enter into the liturgical new year of the Church with the season on Advent, may we be alive and alert to His presence in our lives. He is with us. He walks with us. He dwells in us. In all His greatness, splendour and majesty (Psalm 104:1,2), the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, abides (Jn 15:5) with His people.

This month as we celebrate the feast of Christ the Universal King, let us truly make Him the king of our hearts, our lives and our homes.

May the Lordship of Jesus and the establishment of His kingdom be our hearts greatest desire and may the Holy Spirit our helper (Jn 14:26) help us to make it a reality.